President of the Syrian Coalition Riad Seif said that the preservation of Syria’s unity without Bashar Assad and his clique is the only way to put an end to the continued suffering of the Syrian people.

Seif made his remarks during the opening speech he delivered at the third meeting of the General Assembly of the Syrian Islamic Council. He stressed that the interest of the Syrian people today is to preserve the unity of Syria and prevent division as well as the establishment of a democratic system of rule in which all citizens are equal before the law.

Seif called on everyone to work to raise awareness of the importance of tolerance among all Syrians and the need for people of different faiths and cultures to accept each other and work together to get rid of tyranny and regain freedom and dignity.

Seif vehemently denied reports being circulated about the opposition accepting the survival of Bashar al-Assad in a transitional period and the future of Syria, stressing that Assad’s survival in power will only lead to further killing and destruction.

Seif underscored that the Assad regime must be held accountable for the killing and displacement of millions of Syrians and for committing war crimes against the Syrian people. He rejected attempts to work with the regime or to rehabilitate it. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)